Sparkly
by trekker4life
Summary: Keith makes a detour and Allura finally gets her sparkly. (Set during & after S2E7, 'Space Mall.') Slight Kallura, KxA. Crossposted on AO3.


**_Basically, I was rewatching VLD and was disappointed Allura didn't get her sparkly from the space mall. So I used that as an excuse to write some almost-Kallura fluff._**

 ** _This could probably fit between my two other VLD stories, Care (post S1) and A Moment of Peace (post S2), but also works for a stand-alone._**

 ** _Regardless, enjoy and please R &R!_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I own no part of the series,_** **Voltron: Legendary Defender** ** _, as produced by Dreamworks._**

 ** _~VLD~VLD~VLD~VLD~_**

Keith stared around the not-quite-a-swap-meet, looking around for some clue as to where to find their needed scaultrite lenses. Nothing looked promising. He picked a corridor at random and walked down it. Still nothing.

As he passed another pathway that led to a different set of stores, a sparkle of light caught his attention. Turning, he saw a small, semi-run down curio shop; in the shop's window sat a fabric display scattered with jewelry. Brooches, necklaces, earrings, bracelets - all shimmered in the mall's artificial light.

A brooch in the center of the display drew his gaze. Deep pink, nearly red gems were set in a silver-toned metal to form a graceful flower. Making a snap decision, he entered the shop.

Behind the shop's counter stood an older humanoid alien (other species were difficult to determine gender, but the general stoop and dull coloration of the creature suggested great age). The shop keeper looked up at Keith's entrance.

"Hello there - how may I assist you?"

The keeper's voice was low, which Keith decided to mean that the figure was most likely male, or at least a male-analogue.

"Hi. Uh, I was wondering about something you have in the window there - the pin that looks like a flower."

"Ah - excellent choice. Let me retrieve it for you." The keeper moved out from behind the counter, opened the display, and pulled out the pin in question.

"This is modeled after the juniberry flower..." Keith's gaze snapped from the pin to the owner and back. "...which has now been extinct for millienia."

 _A juniberry?_ An idea formed in Keith's mind. "How much..."

Before Keith could finish the question, the door to the shop opened again and three other alien creatures entered. A single look at the newcomers told Keith that they were bad news - a general air of ill-intent surrounded their brutish figures. The cruel, satisfied looks on their faces didn't help the impression. The shop keeper tensed at their entrance and glared as they surrounded Keith. The biggest and ugliest of the group spoke.

"Hey pal...you look new around here...means you don't know the rules." The other two crowded offensively close. "See...there are some places..." Here the leader of the three eyed the shop keeper before returning to Keith. "That you don't want to buy from. I'd like to help you figure those out."

Keith inwardly rolled his eyes. _Seriously? These guys are ridiculous._ He turned to the shop owner and addressed him. "Have these guys been bothering you?"

The keeper nodded. "Very much so."

Big & Ugly sneered. "If we were, there's nothing you could do about it."

Keith kept his eyes on the shop keeper, ignoring the thugs. "Would you mind if I got rid of them for you?"

The owner shook his head. "Not at all."

The paladin turned to the thugs and glared. "Let's take this outside."

He pushed through the creatures surrounding him and out the doorway of the shop into the corridor outside; the thugs followed.

 ** _~VLD~_**

Keith returned to the shop within a few minutes. He was barely breathing hard while the three thugs lay dazed in a pile outside. Keith addressed the owner. "They won't bother you again - at least for a while."

The owner bowed thankfully to him. "Thank you very much! They have been harassing shops in this corridor for quite some time."

Keith shrugged. "Wasn't a problem."

"Still, thank you," the keeper reiterated before holding out the flower pin. "Now, I believe you were looking at this brooch."

Keith nodded. "I was."

"Was there someone in particular you wanted to give this to?"

Keith blushed slightly. "Sort of. I have a friend..."

The shop keeper smiled, apparently knowing what he meant by 'friend.' "Ah - say no more. In return to taking care of those...people...I want you to have this." He held out the brooch.

Keith's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

The keeper reiterated that he wanted Keith to take the brooch and placed it in a box before holding it out again. "I insist - they might not stay away for long, but you have provided me with at least a temporary time of peace from those...people. This is a simple enough decision - you shall have this for a small reward, with my thanks. Kindness such as you have shown is not common in this galaxy any more."

Still in slight shock at the generosity of the shop owner, Keith accepted the small box before saying his goodbyes and leaving the shop to return to his mission of looking for a place to find the scaultrite. A few corridors into his search, however, he saw a demonstration of knife skills by a salesman. Keith wandered over to watch closer, the needed lenses momentarily forgotten...maybe this guy could tell him about the dagger currently tucked inside his jacket.

 ** _~VLD~_**

Later, after their return to the castle, Keith was on his way to his quarters when he remembered the box in his pocket. He wanted to give it to the princess, but didn't want to make a big deal about it. If only he could get it to her without her knowing it was him...an idea formed in his mind and he turned around, intent on finding Pidge.

He found her by a computer console, furiously trying to figure out a way to connect her and Lance's new video game. "Hey," he said, by way of greeting.

"Oh - hi Keith," she responded, not turning away from the computer, "What's up?"

The red paladin shuffled slightly on his feet. "I was wondering if you could tell me where the mice are."

At that request, Pidge finally looked at Keith. "The mice? You mean Allura's mice?"

"No, I mean the other group of friendly mice living here - of course I mean her mice! I...have a question for them."

The other paladin raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" She saw Keith's expression. "What am I talking about? You're always serious. Okay, last I saw they were heading for the galley."

"Thanks." Keith nodded and left the room.

He came across the mice just before they entered the galley. "Hey - can I talk to you?"

The largest mouse stopped and turned curiously to look at him; the others followed suit. Keith knelt down and held out the boxed pin. "I found this while I was in the mall thing with the others. Can you put it in Allura's room for her?"

The mice, in unison, tilted their heads to the right. (Seriously, did they practice that or something?) "Look," he tried, opening the box and showing them the brooch. "It's nothing dangerous; just something I saw and thought she'd like."

The mice had a quick, squeaky conversation before the largest locked eyes with Keith and nodded. He breathed a quick sigh of relief and handed the box over. "Thanks - just do me a favor: do _not_ say who it's from. Please." The mice nodded again before heading back the way they came supporting the box between them.

 ** _~VLD~_**

Sighing tiredly, Allura entered her room, reaching up with a tired hand to undo the updo she had put her hair into, letting her hair fall freely around her shoulders. The princess changed from her battle armor to a comfortable night dress before sitting down at her vanity table. She reached to pick up her hairbrush and noticed her mice waiting there.

"Oh, hello! I want to thank you again for keeping me company while the Paladins were gone with Coran."

The mice squeaked their reply before pushing a small white box toward her, accompanied with more squeaks. Allura set down her brush and picked up the box. "For me?"

She opened the box and gasped. The brooch inside was beautiful; a silver metal flower with deep pink stones for petals. It was, unmistakably, a juniberry blossom. "Who..." She trailed off as the mice squeaked yet again.

"Someone gave it to you for me? Who?"

More squeaks.

"You can't say? Promised you wouldn't? Ah...I see. I only wanted to thank whomever it was for this gorgeous pin."

The mice exchanged a swift look before getting their princess's attention again.

"You can't _tell_ me who gave it to you...but you can show me?"

The mice nodded. One of the smaller ones stood up on his hind legs, shrugged his shoulders, and placed a furious glare on his face. The resulting image was a near perfect imitation of the Red Paladin.

Allura gasped. "Keith? But...why?" No answer from the mice. "I don't suppose you know where he is right now, do you?"

The mouse currently assuming the role of Keith performed a series of martial arts moves. "The training room...great! Thank you very much!"

The princess quickly left the room, pausing only long enough to slip a robe over her night dress, and made her way to the Red Paladin.

 _ **~VLD~**_

A few moments later, Allura entered the training room just in time to see Keith deal the finishing blow against a robotic opponent. He stood straight and began to call out.

"Begin training level -"

Allura interrupted him. "Keith."

He turned to look at her. "Princess! I was just...training."

She smiled. "I can see that." She met him at the bench that held his water bottle. "I actually wanted to find you to thank you."

Keith looked confused as he took a drink. "Thank you for what?"

Allura held out the pin. Keith stared at it. "How did you...the mice? Argh - I told them not to say anything."

Allura pulled her arm back. "Yes...they followed your wishes and did not speak your name...but they are rather good with impressions."

Together, they took a seat on the bench. Allura turned to Keith. "I wanted to tell you thank you - it is quite beautiful. But I must ask...why?"

He stared at her. "Why what?"

She looked away. "Why give this to me? I will admit, I wanted to go with you all today, but I did not ask for anything."

Keith took a moment to consider his answer; his voice was soft when he spoke.

"Because you _didn't_ ask."

Allura returned her gaze to him, a quizzical look on her face. Keith explained himself.

"Allura, you don't ask for _anything_...well, maybe for us Paladins to stop bickering and fight. But that's for the universe, to push back against the Empire's reign. You never ask for anything for _yourself_. You do so much for us - for all the galaxies... While I was looking for those lenses, I found this in a little shop. When the owner said it was a juniberry...I had to get it. It's not much, but I guess it's a thank you from me - for everything."

Allura's gaze was gentle when she caught his eye again.

"Just...please don't tell anyone that it came from me. They'd be impossible. Well, no...most of them would be just annoying. _Lance_ would be impossible."

Allura smiled and nodded before standing again. Keith followed her example and got to his feet as well.

"Very well - I'll not say a word," she said, and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek. "Thank you again."

Before he could respond, she was off and out the door.

 ** _~VLD~_**

In the following weeks, Allura wasn't able to wear the brooch often. She deemed it too precious and valuable to risk wearing it when she was dressed for battle, so she only wore it when she was wearing something other than her battle armor.

She kept her word to not tell the others where the new accessory had come from, though they did try to find out.

Keith noticed every time she wore it.

And when he saw it attached to her dress or shawl...if his scowls were a little less intense and his glares a little less harsh...well, at least no one knew why.

 ** _~VLD~VLD~VLD~VLD~_**

 ** _There you go. Let me know what you think._**

 ** _Trekker_**

 ** _This is cross-posted on AO3_**


End file.
